1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective mattress cover that protects a mattress from damage whenever the mattress is moved or stored.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Line workers in the moving industry have a difficult daily routine. Moving large, heavy and awkward household items from one house to another house can be back-breaking to say the least. Coupled with tight passageways and the inevitable inclement weather, furniture moving is a profession that is not suited for many. To add to the physical challenges associated with being a mover, many moving companies have policies that require the actual hands on mover to pay for any damages to the furniture occasioned during the move. As time is money, movers must constantly balance the need for speed with the desire to avoid costly moving mistakes.
One household item that is often overlooked when considering the fragility of household goods is the bed mattress. Although a mattress is bulky and somewhat awkward to carry, the mattress is relatively soft and many people fail to appreciate that the mattress can be easily damaged during a move. A mattress can be caught on another object and become torn. A liquid spill or even a grass stain caused by resting the mattress on the ground can easily soil the mattress. As such damage to a mattress tends not to be repairable, damaging the mattress results in the need to replace the mattress often to the tune of several hundred dollars. Therefore, the proper move of the mattresses in a given house can be the difference between a profitable move and a disaster to the actual movers.
Some movers attempt to protect the mattress by wrapping the mattress with some form of wrap such as blankets or even rolls of clear plastic wrap. However, such methods of mattress protection are time-consuming to implement, offer limited protection, and in the case of plastic wrap, tend to be expensive.
Accordingly, a device is needed that protects a mattress during moving of the mattress between locations and during storage of the mattress during an extended move. Such a device must not be time-consuming to implement and must offer the mattress substantial protection including protection from tears and stains. Such a device, which should be relatively simple in design and construction, must not have regular ongoing costs associated with its use.